hey guys,

sorry it took so long i got kinda lazy bout this but hey better late than never I suppose. Oh yeah and by the way moonshine, thanks loads for ur reviews they really help to keep me writing this. Well I hope this chapter okay atleast and im already halfway done with the next so thatll be up asap. So check back and review if u can cuz thatd be awesome. later and peac eout

LightInTheDarkTempest

Chapter 10: Aftermath and the return from Death.

Jess awoke early Sunday morning. It had been about two days since Angel had returned to Genecite and tomorrow she had the feeling they would meet. Was she still alright? Jess sadly couldn't be sure anymore. Her practice match and training afterwards with Tala had been fun yesterday and Jess was certainly glad he was on her team. In some ways, he and Angel were alike. It had nearly made her laugh when he had called her Jess right off the bat. Angel had done that when they'd first met, refusing to call her Jessica because it "took too long to say." Jess felt truly lucky to have him helping her. She felt like she could depend on him, but what would happen if she and Tala had to face Angel? She knew she was really no match for Angels' superior skill after all it was Angel who taught her everything she knew, but could she handle facing off against her? What would Angel be like? How different would she be? Sighing she dressed herself and for some reason found herself strolling pensively down the street. What could she do? She felt so completely helpless. Who could she turn to now? Absentmindedly she found herself walking into a church she and Angel had once walked by. She sat down in one of the pews to think. There was something so peaceful about this place, so safe. Not knowing where else to turn, Jess said a short prayer for Angel. What else could she do? Desperately she pleaded for Angels' safety, and even more so for strength. For awhile she sat there in silence, wonderingly before slowly standing up and walking to the park where she continued to wander aimlessly about. She would be ready for Angel, no matter how much they could've changed her, they could NEVER destroy her. Never. Or so she hoped.

When Angel awoke from the terrors of the night, she felt as if she was going to die. Every muscle hurt as is each was on fire, her head throbbed and pounded as she tried to open and focus her eyes. What had happened? Yet before the question had even finished the memories came flooding back. The injection, the insanity, the nightmares, the memories, the terrors, the darkness. She couldn't believe it. She had been turned back to the darkness. How could she have let that happen? Why couldn't she fight that drug? She sat up and instantly felt weak and sick. All hunger quickly disappeared as she felt nothing but burning pain that would not desist. She heard movement outside of her room and for some unfathomable reason, stumbled out of bed and with as much pride and dignity as she could muster, opened her door and stepped out. Tristan and Lance looked nearly in the same shape as her. They looked weak and tired but their eyes, she noticed as the looked at her, were almost their true old selves. What was going on?

Lance sat on the floor tiredly and looked across the room at Angel. She didn't look like herself. She looked weak and in pain but what was going on with him? He had never felt so…free? Where was the dark influence he depended on so much? Where was its strength, its confidence? Why did he feel so weak and vulnerable right now? He had never wanted to feel this way again, so why was he? Why!

Angel stared harder at the two before her. They looked confused and dazed. It seems the drug had over-riden the grasp the natural evil within them had held over them, yet for a brief time the drug had made the evil twice as strong in them. Yet now, Tristan and Lance looked scared. Scared to be without that influence. As she looked at them sadly she suddenly felt a title wave of weakness crash over her. Her head suddenly throbbed twice as intensely as before and her muscles burst into seeming flames. She fell to her knees holding her head as what she could only expect was the aftermath of the drug ran its coarse through her.

Tristan watched Angel from his position leaning tiredly against the wall. He felt as dazed, confused and angry as Lance did. He didn't want to be like this anymore. He didn't want to feel, for feeling only made you weak, made you vulnerable. Yet as he watched Angel suddenly fall to her knees he watched as his old reflexes kicked in and carried him to her side. She held her head weakly in her hands and looked in tremendous pain. He and Lance had felt sick, tired, and weak but not as intensely as Angel did. How much had they given her anyway? He wondered. Lance had almost reached Angel at the same time as Tristan, and looked just as confused as why he had done so as Tristan did. Tristan suddenly found himself kneeling beside Angel. She started growing paler he notcied and as if by instinct or some other distant, reflex he slowly picked her up, cradling her in his arms.

"Tell me when Coach is coming." He told Lance, who quickly nodded, as he carried Angel back into her room.

He lay her gently on her bed before feeling her forehead. He jerked his hand back quickly, it was burning hot! He took out a small washrag and drenched it in cool water before placing it on her forehead. What was this inside him telling him to do this? It hadn't been there before, or had it? After a few minutes of waiting, Angels' eyes focused as she looked weakly up at Tristan. This all felt so familiar, yet she had to remind herself, this wasn't the Tristan she had known and loved. He had died the same night as Will. Angel had lost all of them that ngiht. The pain and loss had pushed her over the edge and she was not too keen on going back there, Yet, she had. Be she forever cursed, she had.

Tristan felt confused as he stared down at Angel. She looked at him in a way that he didn't understand. What was she thinking he wondered? What the heck am I thinking! His mind screamed at him. Yet, there was something in her eyes, so deep and warm, something that drew some part of him that he hadnt known was still there. Lance suddenly rapped on the door as Tristan quickly left Angel on her own. A few moments later their coach walked in to find all as he had expected. Lance and Tristan stood at attention while Angel could be seen nowhere in sight. The drug had worked on her it seemed. He strode past them and into Angels' room as he found her standing, waiting for him.

"Captain." He smirked noticing her pain and weakness.

"Coach" she returned icily.

"Feeling a little weak today?"

"Not at all."

The Coach smirked knowingly at her. Obstinant to the end, as ever.

"Well then since you are fully recovered from yesterdays…inducement test you can follow me."

Angel nodded and followed him out of her "cell". Tristan and Lance started to follow as was expected but the coach merely motioned for them to stay. They walked silently down the cold stone hallways. Angel felt so weak and tired. Each step was painful but she was determined. She had to be or atleast appear to be strong. Down the staircases they went flight after flight, it was certainly taking a toll on Angel and she was starting to wish stairs had never been invented. She nearly let out a sigh of relief when they reached the bottom. They walked out into an overcast, shadowed world. It had been so sunny so hopefully warm yesterday but now, it seemed cool and carried an air of…doom? She couldn't help the shiver that flowed through her spine. Something was wrong, something was…what? The Coach led her briskly into the other building and opened another door. Angel sighed sarcastically to herself, great! More stairs!

Down they went into the deep earth. The feeling of dread heightening within Angel with each step. Suddenly, her coach stopped. Angel stood waiting behind him as he opened a door and stepped inside. It was some dark chamber with but a single lgiht in whose rays they now stood.

"Its time to meet the last…returning member of your teams Captain."

"returning?"

"Brooklyn, come meet your Captain."

Angel looked in confused horror at the figure that emerged before her now. He was tall with familiar ginger hair and turquoise eyes. She looked at him and was instantly shocked and pained as memories came flooding back. It couldn't be, it wasn't! Yet it was. What was going on?

"This isn't possible!" Angel stuttered as she looked as Brooklyn who merely stood looking at her a bit confusedly.

"Oh it is Angel, but its not who you think it is."

"Why did you do this? How did you do this?"

"Well Angel it's quite simple really. We needed Will to finish one of our projects but he wouldn't cooperate. Will had all the makings of being a perfect, natural blader but he hindered himself with right and wrong, making him useless. He would not accept the darkness within himself. WE needed to shut him down, so to speak, so we could 'reboot' him. Yet he had to be killed of his own free will for his mind to be useable. A task which you so generously did for us."

Angel couldn't believe it, she didn't understand it. It was Will, but it wasn't. How much more confusing could it be? Brooklyn looked at her those all too familiar eyes meeting hers.

"Nice to meet you Captain." He stated.

Angel felt even more torn now. This was worse than the drug! He had Wills' voice, his looks and even his expressions. Her memory screamed that it was him that he was back from the dead, yet with despair she knew it wasn't it merely looked like him. A mirror image that did not retain the soul she so desperately wished to see again in this life. Why did this happen? Why?

Angel dropped to her knees in confusion and anger. What could she do? Suddenly she felt a new wave of weakness wash over her. Angel gnashed her teeth as she held on till it ran it's coarse. She didn't have the strength to fight the darkness that would take over her if she fell unconscious; she had to hold on. What was happening to her anyway? This was getting too much to handle. The drug had never done this to her before. Must be the aftermath of the new "modifications" The Coach turned and motioned for her to follow. Weakly she was led away from Brooklyn and into a small office upstairs. A single window looked out unto the overcast skies covering the forest canopy. She was nearly startled to see both Tristan and Lance waiting for them. Tristan was, as always leaning against the back wall while Lance stood behind one of the two chairs in the Coach's' office facing the desk. Angel stopped behind the second one as Coach walked behind the desk and sat staring at them.

"As you can most likely tell we've made some improvements on the drug we used on you. Yesterday proved it worked perfectly and today has proven the side-effects are…as planned."

Angel gave him a wary look, what did he mean by "as planned"?

"Tomorrow we battle so I suggest you be ready."

Angel nodded more out of custom than anything and led her team out. She was hurting more than ever. What had the injection done to her? She glanced at Tristan and Lance who looked a bit better than she did and definitely not as pained or weakened. Whatever Genecite was doing she certainly didn't like it.

Turning down another flight of stairs, Angel led the way out of the complex and into the overcast outdoors. Briskly she walked into the forest, her head filled with too much pain to even notice the physical pain coursing through her. Despite the soarness in their own bodies, Tristan and Lance pushed onward following Angel who they noticed seemed to let up a bit though strangely more for them than herself. Tristan couldn't get over this. Without the drug and darkness he felt so…weak, and yet he felt the return of feelings, good feelings. Especially when he stared at Angel. Somehow his heartbeat quickened and his mind went completely blank. But where were they coming from? Not willing to think back through his past for anything, Tristan simply wrote it off as one of the supposed side-affects of the drug. It's not like I actually feel anymore. To feel only meant that you could get hurt. That you were weak, that you could easily be used and Tristan would be hurt no more!

Practice slipped by as the exhausted team returned to the barracks. Angel felt like she could collapse any moment but couldn't allow herself to do that outside of her cell. She wouldn't give her Coach that pleasure. She took a quick shower then after quickly dressing made her way over to her door. The room seemed fuzzy and unsteady and her world was starting to dim. Determined to atleast make it to her "bed" Angel forced herself through the door slamming it shut as she collapsed barely making it to her bed, the darkness taking over her.

Morning came too soon for Angel. She had dreaded today, greatly, for today /Angel had to see them. She had to look into the hurt and betrayed eyes of Jess and Kai and the others. She had to be strong, for them of not for herself. This was the only way she could protect them and she would be the only sacrifice for their protection. Groggily Angel dressed herself in the usual uniform putting her launcher in the specially designed belt with the Genecite crest embedded on the silver buckle then grabbed Ryker.

"Ryker." Angel mumbled in pain and despair.

'I'm right her mistress, as always.'

"Angel smiled weakly to herself,

"Looks like I'll need to borrow some of your strength today." She said quietly and a bit ashamedly.

'Ii felt so much. It's yours, young mistress, you truly do need it but beware.'

"Of what?"

'Somethings not right.'

"I feel it too. I just don't know what."

'I have a bad feeling that we shall find out soon.'

Angel nodded before placing Ryker in one of her cargo pockets before exiting her room and waiting for Coach to arrive.

Moments later he walked in to find Tristan, Lance, and Angel all waiting patiently in a militaristic line. He stepped forward till he stood in front of them, then pulled three injection shots from inside his jacked. Angel immediately stiffened. The drug. He's going to give it to us again! Why didn't I see this coming?

The Coach toyed with the three shots in his hand making Angel edgier by the moment. Back and forth he paced before them seeing the longing in Tristan and Lance's eyes and the hatred in Angels. 'To give or not to give' he mused to himself. He grinned evilly before pocketing the three shots as he quickly turned and led the way out to the awaiting black limo. What was he up to? Angel wondered as she climbed into the limo after Lance. Once Tristan had closed the door behind himself, the limo roared down the dirt road till at length it joined the concrete streets.

"Captain," The Coach began.

Angel stared at him coolly waiting for him to continue.

"A brief reminder, if you so much as hint to your 'friends' about where you are, the drug, or anything other than what we tell you to reveal, you shall be punished severely…as shall they." He smiled wickedly.

Angel simply nodded before fixing a blank though angry stare ahead of her and tuning out all else but her own painful thoughts.

'I can't crack. I have to keep my cold gaze no matter what, my mask of ice. I have to be prepared for the look I know ill see in Jess' and the others' eyes. MUST protect them at al costs. Oh Ryker, help me mask my emotions. Kai does it so well…Kai…

Flashback

"Good bye Kai." She stated walking past him.

Gently Kai grabbed her arm and stopped her looking determinedly and deeply into her eyes

"I will come for you." He whispered gently.

End Flashback

'Oh Kai, why do I fear seeing you so much? Jess I know will nearly kill me, but you? You who I've known for only a few days, yet I've come to…what? What is it that I feel towards him? What can it possibly be? It doesn't matter. It cannot be. For if I don't do this, he'll die. If I don't throw myself into the burning flames of darkness they shall all die! I will not, cannot let that happen.'

The limo stopped before the huge building, which held the arena within. Angel stepped out of the limo as Tristan opened the door then stood to her right, Lance to her left though both lightly behind her.

"Remember our deal and just so we can make sure." The Coach said before handing her an earpiece." We'll be watching you, Captain." With that, the Coach disappeared into the crowd leaving Angel to lead her team into the tournament building.

'Here we go' she thought ' no turning back.' She sighed, 'no turning back.'

Jess walked worriedly through the tournament building halls with Tala at her side. He had driven them here since he had his car with him and also had the feeling Jess would want to leave early if she encountered Angel/ Part of him hated Angel for her betrayal. Who could do such a thing? Certainly no true friend. Yet part of him also wondered about her. She definitely had some skills. He had seen the recording of Angel and Jess' first battle and was "nearly impressed". He had found it recently funny the way Kai reacted when anyone spoke of her. Did the great emotionless Kai have feelings for Angel? Tala nearly laughed at the thought. It seemed so absurd, but could it be? Casually Tale glanced over at /jess. She was definitely worried about the possibility or rather probability of seeing Angel again, but what could he do about it?

"You alright?" He questioned giving her another sideways glance.

"I'm fine."

"Liar" he smirked.

Jess sighed and looked around for an excuse when suddenly, there she was. Time seemed to stand still as Jess stared down the hallway and caught sight of none other than Angel. Their gazes locked and Jess shivered reflexively. Angels eyes normally so warm and deep were now a cold wall of ice. Angel merely glared at her before turning away and disappearing into the crowd with two guys flanking her. Must be her new team Jess thought.

"Jess?" Tala's voice prodded, snapping Jess back into reality.

"Huh, what?"

"She's here isn't she."

Jess simply nodded before heading back to the locker room, Tala following. Jess had never seen Angel look so cold before, not since she had escaped from Genecite. Even then, she hadn't looked as…haunted as she did now. She was a cold wall of ice but there was a haunting feeling about her. Jess looked around as she continued toward the locker room before noticing a figure in the shadowed hallway that led to her destination. Jess walked on, pausing for a brief moment before continuing down the smaller corridor.

"She's here." Jess whispered leaving the figure to his thoughts with Tala in tow.

Crimson eyes opened at the mention of her. She was here? Was she alright? Was she still herself? He wondered. He must see her. The expression in Jess' voice hadn't given him much hope but he had to see her for himself. Regardless of the confusion he felt now over what his feelings were telling him, he had to find her. He had to figure this all out. Kai quickly stood and disappeared into the crowd looking for a mere glimpse of Angel. Any glimpse at all would do.

Jess walked immediately into her and Angels' locker room. She cringed, as she had to correct herself, it was now her and Tala's locker room though they only came in here right before matches. Jess despairingly dropped down onto the bench with her head in her hands. She thought she could handle this, but could she? Suddenly she wasn't so sure. "What's troubling you." Tala voiced blandly though his eyes betrayed his concern.

Jess glanced at him leaning with his back against the doorpost, arms crossed and head hanging boredly toward his chest before looking away.

"I'm not so sure I can handle this anymore."

"what are you talking about."

"Tala how can I just move on like this? She's changed, my best friend is gone and I get a front row view! How can I face her as an enemy, an opponent now, how can I face anyone like this?"

"Jess look, if Angel can do it, so can you."

Jess looked back up at Tala at first inquisitively but only received a finalized stare. Then it made sense. If Angel could move on, she could atleast put aside her pain and confusion to battle. She could handle this. Besides she had Tala to help her. She'd do just fine without Angel Or atleast she hoped.

"Thanks Tala."

Tala simply nodded before walking over to his locker and rummaging through it, perhaps a bit aimlessly, but Jess didn't care. She was finally, hopefully ready.

Angel walked on through the crowd Tristan and Lance following and staring people angrily out of the way through sheer intimidation. The look in Jess' eyes when she'd seen her had cut her to the heart. The sadness and pain along with the utter confusion and abondment were evident in the, and who was that guy with her? Had she been replaced that quickly? Yet Angel knew she really wanted Jess to keep going, she would have. Jess hopefully wouldn't give up and with a new teammate so quickly aquired she might get even better. Yet Angel knew the worst was yet to come. Suddenly a searching feeling caught her sense and she instantly felt like someone was looking for her. She turned only to see a wandering figure with deep crimson eyes scanning the crowd. Angel quickly stepped into the shadows as his piercing gaze passed over her. She knew he sensed her, but she couldn't be seen by him just yet. 'Kai' Angel thought as she saw him standing there 100 feet away form where she stood hiding in the shadows. As she watched dhim sadly, longingly, he once again disappeared into the crowd beyond her sight. How could she handle this. It was killing her. The emotions she felt for him went into a frenzy every time she saw him and every time she thought of him. TI was driving her crazy. Could she even face them anymore? Then again, she had no other option that she'd accept. Hurt them to save them. Sacrifice my life for theirs. It all seemed so natural, so simple and yet the looks she had yet to face had on would test her limits. Test her metal; test her very love for all of them. 'Enough!' Angel shouted in her mind. NO more thinking along this track! She had to focus. Who were their first opponents today? Surely Lance or Tristan would know, most likely Lance.

"Lance, who we demolishing first today?"

"Two members from the White Tiger X team."

"Lets have some fun then." Angel smirked as she led her team straight for the locker room to see who the Coach had matched up, though sh had a gut feeling she already knew.